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. lotie iLetterg of ^entp msbtb 
to 
anne TBoIegn 



Cfje 

Eobe Eetters 

of 

^enrp miii 

to 

Znnt Molten 

mitb Bom 

3Iol)n m. fiuct & Companp 
"Boston : lonOon 



COPYRIGHT, 1906, BY JOHN W. LUCE & COMPANY 



UBRARYQf CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

DEC 11 1906 

C«pyrt£ht Entry 
(Pet-* 2J^, H^0> 
OUSS a^XXc„No. 

COPY B. 



\ 



e; 



D. B. UPDIKE, THE MERRYMOUNT PRESS, BOSTON 



Cable of Contentis 



Letter First 


Page 

i 


Letter Second 


iv 


Letter Third 


V 


Letter Fourth 


vii 


Letter Fifth 


X 


Letter Sixth 


xiii 


Letter Seventh 


xvi 


Letter Eighth [Anne Boleyn to 


Wolsey] xviii 


Postscript [by Henry VIII] 


XX 


Letter Ninth 


xxii 


Letter Tenth 


xxv 


Letter Eleventh 


xxviii 


Letter Twelfth 


XXX 


Letter Thirteenth 


xxxiv 


Letter Fourteenth 


xxxvii 


Letter Fifteenth 


xxxix 


Letter Sixteenth 


xli 


Letter Seventeenth 


xliii 


Letter Eighteenth 


xlv 


Notes 


li 



Hotie Letters of JE)cntg msUb 

to 

9nne TBoIepn 




letter Sim 
Co 3inm TBoltvn 




N turning over in my 
mind the contents of 
your last letters, I have 
put myself into great 
agony, not knowing how to interpret 
them, whether to my disadvantage, 
as you show in some places, or to my 
advantage, as I understand them in 
some others, beseeching you earnestly 
to let me know expressly your whole 
mind as to the love between us two. 



[i] 



Lotie letters of i^enrg Cigbtb 

It is absolutely necessary for me to 
obtain this answer, having been for 
above a whole year stricken with the 
dart of love, and not yet sure whether 
I shall fail of finding a place in your 
heart and affeftion, which last point 
has prevented me for some time past 
from calling you my mistress; be- 
cause, if you only love me with an 
ordinary love, that name is not suit- 
able for you, because it denotes a sin- 
gular love, which is far from com- 
mon. But if you please to do the office 
of a true loyal mistress and friend, and 
to give up yourself body and heart to 
me, who will be, and have been, your 
most loyal servant, (if your rigour 
does not forbid me) I promise you 
that not only the name shall be given 

[u] 



lotie letters of ^entp Cigbtb 

you, but also that I will take you 
for my only mistress, casting off all 
others besides you out of my thoughts 
and affections, and serve you only. I 
beseech you to give an entire answer 
to this my rude letter, that I may 
know on what and how far I may 
depend. And if it does not please 
you to answer me in writing, appoint 
some place where I may have it by 
word of mouth, and I will go thither 
with all my heart. No more, for fear 
of tiring you. Written by the hand 
of him who would willingly remain 
yours, H. R. 



[iit] 



Letter ©econli 
Co ^nnt TSolt^n 



THOUGH it is not fitting for a 
gentleman to take his lady in 
the place of a servant, yet, complying 
with your desire, I willingly grant it 
you, if thereby you can find yourself 
less uncomfortable in the place chosen 
by yourself, than you have been in 
that which I gave you, thanking you 
cordially that you are pleased still to 
have some remembrance of me. 6. n. 
A. I de A. o. na. v. e. z. 

Henry R. 



[itJ] 



Letter CWtD 
Co ^nnt 'Bolettt 



A LTHOUGH, my Mistress, it 
-ZjL has not pleased you to remem- 
ber the promise you made me when I 
was last with you — that is, to hear 
good news from you, and to have an 
answer to my last letter; yet it seems 
to me that it belongs to a true servant 
(seeing that otherwise he can know 
nothing) to inquire the health of his 
mistress, and to acquit myself of the 
duty of a true servant, I send you this 
letter, beseeching you to apprise me 
of your welfare, which I pray to God 
may continue as long as I desire mine 



[iJ] 



lotie letters of ^entp dSisbtb 

own. And to cause you yet oftener 
to remember me, I send you, by the 
bearer of this, a buck killed late last 
night by my own hand, hoping that 
when you eat of it you may think of 
the hunter; and thus, for want of 
room, I must end my letter, written 
by the hand of your servant, who very 
often wishes for you instead of your 
brother. H. R. 



[W] 



Hettet JFourtf) 
Co anne isolei^n 



MrMIST%SSS &F'BJSND, 
my heart and I surrender our- 
selves into your hands, beseeching 
you to hold us commended to your 
favour, and that by absence your af- 
fection to us may not be lessened: 
for it v^ere a great pity to increase 
our pain, of which absence produces 
enough and more than I could ever 
have thought could be felt, remind- 
ing us of a point in astronomy v^hich 
is this: the longer the days are, the. 
more distant is the sun, and never- 
theless the hotter; so is it with our 



[Wi] 



Lotie letters of ^entp dBiettb 

love, for by absence we are kept a 
distance from one another, and yet 
it retains its fervour, at least on my 
side; I hope the like on yours, as- 
suring you that on my part the pain 
of absence is already too great for 
me; and when I think of the increase 
of that which I am forced to suffer, 
it would be almost intolerable, but 
for the firm hope I have of your un- 
changeable affeftion for me: and to 
remind you of this sometimes, and 
seeing that I cannot be personally 
present with you, I now send you the 
nearest thing I can to that, namely, 
my pifture set in a bracelet, with the 
whole of the device, which you al- 
ready know, wishing myself in their 
place, if it should please you. This is 

[ Dili ] 



lotte Letters of ^enrp Cigbtft 

from the hand of your loyal servant 
and friend, 

H. R. 



X 



[tt] 



letter jriftb 
Co antte i3Dlei?n 



FOR a present so beautiful that 
nothing could be more so (con- 
sidering the whole of it ) 5 1 thank you 
most cordially, not only on account 
of the fine diamond and the ship in 
which the solitary damsel is tossed 
about, but chiefly for the fine inter-, 
pretation and the too humble sub- 
mission which your goodness hath 
used towards me in this case; for I 
think it would be very difficult for 
me to find an occasion to deserve it, 
if I were not assisted by your great 
humanity and favour, which I have 



[r] 



lotie iLettet0 of lE)enrp (BisUb 

always sought to seek, and will seek 
to preserve by all the kindness in my 
power, in which my hope has placed 
its unchangeable intention, which 
says, Auf illic^ aut nullibi. 

The demonstrations of your affec- 
tion are such, the beautiful mottoes 
of the letter so cordially expressed, 
that they oblige me for ever to hon- 
our, love, and serve you sincerely, be- 
seeching you to continue in the same 
firm and constant purpose, assuring 
you that, on my part, I will surpass 
it rather than make it reciprocal, if 
loyalty of heart and a desire to please 
you can accomplish this. 

I beg, also, if at any time before this 
I have in anyway offended you, that 
you would give me the same abso- 



lotie letters of i^entg Cigfttf) 

lution that you ask, assuring you, that 
henceforward my heart shall be de- 
dicated to you alone. I wish my per- 
son was so too. God can do it, if He 
pleases, to whom I pray every day for 
that end, hoping that at length my 
prayers will be heard. I wish the time 
may be short, but I shall think it 
long till we see one another. 

Written by the hand of that secre- 
tary, who in heart, body, and will, is. 
Your loyal and most assured Servant, 

XT. . aultre ^.bJ ne cherse Jtv . 



[rii] 



letter ©irtb 
Co anne l3olei?n 



To .MT miST'S^SSS. Because 
the time seems very long since 
I heard concerning your health and 
you, the great afFeftion I have for 
you has induced me to send you this 
bearer, to be better informed of your 
health and pleasure, and because, 
since my parting from you, I have 
been told that the opinion in which 
I left you is totally changed, and that 
you would not come to court either 
with your mother, if you could, or in- 
any other manner; which report, if 
true, I cannot sufficiently marvel at, 



[ xxxi ] 



lotie iLettet0 of l^enrg OEig&tf) 

because I am sure that I have since 
never done any thing to offend you, 
and it seems a very poor return for the 
great love which I bear you to keep 
me at a distance both from the speech 
and the person of the woman that I 
esteem most in the world: and if you 
love me with as much affeftion as I 
hope you do, I am sure that the dis- 
tance of our two persons would be 
a little irksome to you, though this 
does not belong so much to the mis- 
tress as to the servant. 

Consider well, my mistress, that 
absence from you grieves me sorely, 
hoping that it is not your will that 
it should be so; but if I knew for cer- 
tain that you voluntarily desired it, 
I could do no other than mourn my 

[riti ] 



lotie ILettet0 of ^entp (Biehtb 

ill-fortune, and by degrees abate my 
great folly. And so, for lack of time, 
I make an end of this rude letter, be- 
seeching you to give credence to this 
bearer in all that he will tell you 
from me. 

Written by the hand of your en- 
tire Servant, 

H.R. 



[rtl] 



letter ^etientft 
Co atrne TSoltvn 



DA'^LIS^, these shall be 
only to advertise you that this 
bearer and his fellow be despatched 
with as many things to compass our 
matter, and to bring it to pass as our 
wits could imagine or devise; which 
brought to pass, as I trust, by their 
diligence, it shall be shortly, you and 
I shall have our desired end, which 
should be more to my heart's ease, 
and more quietness to my mind, than 
any other thing in the world; as, with 
God's grace, shortly I trust shall be 
proved, but not so soon as I would 



[ xm ] 



Hotie letters of ^entg €isUb 

it were; yet I will ensure you that 
there shall be no time lost that may 
be won, and further can not be done; 
for u/tra posse non est esse. Keep him 
not too long with you, but desire 
him, for your sak,e, to make the more 
speed; for the sooner we shall have 
word from him, the sooner shall our 
matter come to pass. And thus upon 
trust of your short repair to London, 
I make an end of my letter, my own 
sweet heart. 

Written with the hand of him 
which desireth as much to be yours 
as you do to have him. 

H. R. 



[ rtiii ] 



Letter ©gfttf) 
^nnt TSoltvn to mol&tv 

Mr L01(T>, in my most hum- 
blest wise that my heart can 
think, I desire you to pardon me that 
I am so bold to trouble you with my 
simple and rude writing, esteeming it 
to proceed from her that is much de- 
sirous to know that your grace does 
well, as I perceive by this bearer that 
you do, the which I pray God long to 
continue, as I am most bound to pray ; 
for I do know the great pains and trou- 
bles that you have taken for me both 
day and night is never likely to be 
recompensed on my part, but alonely 

[ toixi ] 



lotie iLettet0 of ^entp (ffigbtfi 

in loving you, next unto the king's 
grace, above all creatures living. And 
I do not doubt but the daily proofs 
of my deeds shall manifestly declare 
and affirm my writing to be true, and 
I do trust you do think the same. 

My lord, I do assure you, I do long 
to hear from you news of the legate; 
for I do hope, as they come from you, 
they shall be very good; and I am 
sure you desire it as much as I, and 
more, an it were possible; as I know 
it is not: and thus remaining in a 
steadfast hope, I make an end of my 
letter. 

Written with the hand of her that 
is most bound to be 

Your humble Servant, 

Anne Boleyn. 

[ xix ] 



Postscript 
6p ij)entp Mi 



THE writer of this letter would 
not cease, till she had caused 
me likewise to set my hand, desiring 
you, though it be short, to take it in 
good part. I ensure you that there is 
neither of us but greatly desireth to 
see you, and are joyous to hear that 
you have escaped this plague so well, 
trusting the fury thereof to be passed, 
especially with them that keepeth 
good diet, as I trust you do. The not 
hearing of the legate's arrival in 
France causeth us somewhat to muse; 
notwithstanding, we trust, by your 



[rr] 



Lotie letters of IE)entp dBiettb 

diligence and vigilancy (with the as- 
sistance of Almighty God), shortly 
to be eased out of that trouble. No 
more to you at this time, but that I 
pray God send you as good health 
and prosperity as the writer would. 
By your lovmg Sovereign and 

Friend, 

H. R. 



[rn] 



letter jQIntfi 
Co anne T5oltvn 



THERE came to me suddenly 
in the night the most afflift- 
ing news that could have arrived. 
The first, to hear of the sickness of 
my mistress, whom I esteem more 
than all the world, and whose health 
I desire as I do my own, so that I 
would gladly bear half your illness to 
make you well. The second, from the 
fear that I have of being still longer 
harassed by my enemy. Absence, 
much longer, who has hitherto given 
me all possible uneasiness, and as far 
as I can judge is determined to spite 



[ xxii ] 



lotie letter0 of I^entp dBiebtb 

me more because 1 pray God to rid 
me of this troublesome tormentor. 
The third, because the physician in 
whom I have most confidence, is ab- 
sent at the very time v^hen he might 
do me the greatest pleasure; for I 
should hope, by him and his means, 
to obtain one of my chief joys on 
earth — that is the care of my mis- 
tress — yet for want of him I send you 
my second, and hope that he will 
soon make you well. I shall then love 
him more than ever. I beseech you 
to be guided by his advice in your 
illness. In so doing I hope soon to see 
you again, which will be to me a 
greater comfort than all the precious 
jewels in the world. 
Written by that secretary, who is, 

[ xxiii ] 



Lotoe letters of l^entg aEigbtb 

and for ever will be, your loyal and 
most assured Servant, 

H. (AB) R. 



[ xxto ] 



Letter Centb 
Co anne TSoltvn 



THE uneasiness my doubts about 
your heal'th gave me, disturbed 
and alarmed me exceedingly, and I 
should not have had any quiet with- 
out hearing certain tidings. But now, 
since you have as yet felt nothing, I 
hope, and am assured that it will spare 
you, as I hope it is doing with us. For 
when we were at Walton, two ush- 
ers, two valets de chambres and your 
brother, master-treasurer, fell ill, but 
are now quite well ; and since we have 
returned to our house at Hunsdon, 
we have been perfectly well, and have 



[ rrt) ] 



iLotie iLettet0 of ^entp OBigbtb 

not, at present, one sick person, God 
be praised; and I think, if you would 
retire from Surrey, as we did, you 
would escape all danger. There is 
another thing that may comfort you, 
which is, that, in truth in this dis- 
temper few or no women have been 
taken ill, and what is more, no per- 
son of our court, and few elsewhere, 
have died of it. For which reason I 
beg you, my entirely beloved, not to 
frighten yourself nor be too uneasy at 
our absence; for wherever I am, lam 
yours, and yet we must sometimes 
submit to our misfortunes, for who- 
ever will struggle against fate is gen- 
erally but so much the farther from 
gaining his end: wherefore comfort 
yourself, and take courage and avoid 

[ rrtii ] 



Hou ILettet0 of ^entp ffiigbtfi 

the pestilence as much as you can, 
for I hope shortly to make you sing, 
/a renvoyL No more at present, from 
lack of time, but that I wish you in 
my arms, that I might a little dispel 
your unreasonajple thoughts. 

Written by the hand of him who 
is and alway will be yours, 

Im-Xl, JK.. -mutable. 



[ rrtoii ] 




letter €letientt) 
Co atwe TSolt^n 



THE cause of my writing at this 
time, good sweethe.art, is only 
to understand of your good health 
and prosperity; whereof to know I 
would be as glad as in manner mine 
own, praying God that (an it be His 
pleasure) to send us shortly together, 
for I promise you I long for it. How 
be it, I trust it shall not be long to; 
and seeing my darling is absent, I can 
do no less than to send her some flesh, 
representing my name, which is hart 
flesh for Henry, prognosticating that 
hereafter, God willing, you may en- 



[ xxWi ] 



lotie Hetters of ^enrg (Bisbt\} 

joy some of mine, which He pleased, 
I would were now. 

As touching your sister's matter, I 
have caused Walter Welze to write 
to my lord my mind therein, whereby 
I trust that Eve shall not have power 
to deceive Adan*!; for surely, whatso- 
ever is said, it cannot so stand with his 
honour but that he must needs take 
her, his natural daughter, now in her 
extreme necessity. 

No more to you at this time, mine 
own darling, but that with a wish I 
would we were together an evening. 

With the hand of yours, 

H. R. 



[ rrir ] 



Letter Ctoelftl) 
Co anne TSoltvn 



SINCE your last letters, mine own 
darling, Walter Welshe, Master 
Browne, Thos. Care, Grion of Brear- 
ton, and John Coke, the apothecary, 
be fallen of the sweat in this house, 
and, thanked be God, all well recov- 
ered, so that as yet the plague is not 
fully ceased here, but I trust shortly 
it shall. By the mercy of God, the rest 
of us yet be well, and I trust shall 
pass it, either not to have it, or, at the 
least, as easily as the rest have done. 
As touching the matter of Wilton, 
my lord cardinal hath had the nuns 



[ rrr ] 



iLotie Letters of lE)entp dBiettb 

before him, and examined them, Mr. 
Bell being present ; which hath certi- 
fied me that, for a truth, she had con- 
fessed herself (which we would have 
had abbess) to have had two children 
by two sundry priests; and, further, 
since hath been kept by a servant of 
the Lord Broke that was, and that not 
long ago. Wherefore I would not,for 
all the gold in the world, clog your 
conscience nor mine to make her ruler 
of a house which is of so ungodly de- 
meanour; nor, I trust, you would not 
that neither for brother nor sister, I 
should so destain mine honour or con- 
science. And, as touching the prior- 
ess, or Dame Eleanor's eldest sister, 
though there is not any evident case 
proved against them, and that the 

[ ^tri ] 



lotoe letters of ^entp (Biehtt 

prioress is so old that for many years 
she could not be as she was named; 
yet notwithstanding, to do you plea- 
sure, I have done that neither of them 
shall have it, but that some other 
good and well-disposed woman shall 
have it, whereby the house shall be 
the better reformed (whereof I en- 
sure you it had much need) , and God 
much the better served. 

As touching your abode at Hever, 
do therein as best shall like you, for 
you best know what air doth best with 
you; but I would it were come there- 
to (if it pleased God), that neither of 
us need care for that, for I ensure you 
I think it long. Suche is fallen sick 
of the sweat, and therefore I send you 
this bearer, because I think you long 

[ xxxii ] 



ILotoe letters of l^entp (Biettb 

to hear tidings from us, as we do like- 
wise from you. 
Written with the hand de voire seul^ 

H. R. 



[ rrrui ] 



JLettet Cbirteentt) 
Co atine "Bolttn 



THE approach of the time for 
which I have so long waited 
rejoices me so much, that it seems 
almost to have come already. How- 
ever, the entire accomplishment can- 
not be till the two persons meet, 
which meeting is more desired by 
me than anything in this world; for 
what joy can be greater upon earth 
than to have the company of her who 
is dearest to me, knowing likewise 
that she does the same on her part, 
the thought of which gives me the 
greatest pleasure. 



[ xxxto ] 



Loue ILettet0 of ©entp (Bisbtt 

Judge what an eiFefl: the presence of 
that person must have on me, whose 
absence has grieved my heart more 
than either words or writing can ex- 
press, and which nothing can cure, 
but that begging you, my mistress, to 
tell your father from me, that I de- 
sire him to hasten the time appointed 
by two days, that he may be at court 
before the old term, or, at farthest, on 
the day prefixed ; for otherwise I shall 
think he will not do the lover's turn, 
as he said he would, nor answer my 
expeftation. 

No more at present for lack of 
time, hoping shortly that byword of 
mouth I shall tell you the rest of the 
sufferings endured by me from your 
absence. 

[ rrrti ] 



lotie letters of JJ)entp €ietth 

Written by the hand of the secre- 
tary, who wishes himself at this mo- 
ment privately with you, and who is, 
and always will be, 
Your loyal and most assured Servant, 

Xl . no other J\ ±j seek Xv , 



[ rrwi ] 



Letter jFoutteentb 
Co anne isoltvn 



DA%LI3^g, I heartily recom- 
mend nie to you, ascertaining 
you that I am not a little perplexed 
with such things as your brother 
shall on my part declare unto you, 
to whom I pray you give full cre- 
dence, for it were too long to write. 
In my last letters I writ to you that 
I trusted shortly to see you, which 
is better known at London than with 
any that is about me, whereof I not 
a little marvel; but lack of discreet 
handling must needs be the cause 
thereof. No more to you at this time, 



[ rrriou ] 



lotie Uttm^ of ©entp ©gfttft 

but that I trust shortly our meetings 

shall not depend upon other men's 

light handlings, but upon our own. 

Written with the hand of him that 

longeth to be yours. 

H. R. 



[ XXXMi ] 



Letter jFifteentft 
Co antte T5oltvn 



MI3^E own SWSSrHSA1{r, 
this shall be to advertise you 
of the great elengeness that I find here 
since your departing ; for, I ensure you 
methinketh the time longer since 
your departing now last, than I was 
wont to do a whole fortnight. I think 
your kindness and my fervency of love 
causeth it ; for, otherwise, I would not 
have thought it possible that for so 
little a while it should have grieved 
me. But now that I am coming to- 
wards you, methinketh my pains be 
half removed ; and also I am right well 



[ rrrir ] 



looe nettets of ^enr? msUb 

comforted in so much that my book 

maketh substantially for my matter; 

in looking whereof I have spent above 

four hours this day, which causeth me 

now to write the shorter letter to you 

at this time, because of some pain in 

my head; wishing myself (especially 

an evening) in my sweetheart's arms, 

whose pretty dukkys I trust shortly 

to kiss. 

Written by the hand of him that 

was, is, and shall be yours by his own 

will, 

H. R. 



[rl] 



letter %ixtztntb 
Co atwe 'Boletn 



DA%LI^G, Though I have 
scant leisure, yet, remember- 
ing my promise, I thought it con- 
venient to certify you briefly in what 
case our affairs stand. As touching 
a lodging for you, we have got one 
by my lord cardinal's means, the like 
whereof could not have been found 
hereabouts for all causes, as this bearer 
shall more show you. As touching our 
other affairs, I assure you there can 
be no more done, nor more diligence 
used, nor all manner of dangers bet- 
ter both foreseen and provided for, so 



[rli] 



lotie letters of JE)entg €ishth 

that I trust it shall be hereafter to both 
our comforts, the specialities whereof 
were both too long to be written, and 
hardly by messenger to be declared. 
Wherefore, till you repair hither, I 
keep something in store, trusting it 
shall not be long to; for I have caused 
my lord, your father, to make his pro- 
visions with speed;. and thus for lack 
of time, darling, I make an end of my 
letter, written with the hand of him 
which I would were yours. 

H.R. 



[ Xtii ] 



Letter ©etienteentb 
Co anne iBoletn 



THE reasonable request of your 
last letter, with the pleasure also 
that I take to know them true, caus- 
eth me to send you these news. The 
legate which we most desire arrived 
at Paris on Sunday or Monday last 
past, so that I trust by the next Mon- 
day to hear of his arrival at Calais: 
and then I trust within a while after 
to enjoy that which I have so long 
longed for, to God's pleasure and our 
both comforts. 

No more to you at this present, 
mine own darling, for lack of time. 



[ xm ] 



lotie letters of ^entp OBigbtJ) 

but that I would you were in mine 
arms, or I in yours, for I think it long 
since I kissed you. 

Written after the killing of a hart, 
at eleven of the clock, minding, with 
God's grace, to-morrow, mightily 
timely, to kill another, by the hand 
which, I trust, shortly shall be yours. 

Henry R. 



[ xm ] 



letter €isbtttntb 
Co 3innt QBolei^n 



To inform you what joy it is to 
me toiinderstand of your con- 
formableness with reason, and of the 
suppressing of your inutile and vain 
thoughts with the bridle of reason. I 
assure you all the good in this world 
could not counterpoise for my satis- 
faftion the knowledge and certainty 
thereof, wherefore, good sweetheart, 
continue the same, not only in this, 
but in all your doings hereafter; for 
thereby shall come, both to you and 
me, the greatest quietness that may 
be in this world. 



[rftJ] 



iLotoe letters of ^enrp (JBigbtft 

The cause why the bearer stays so 
long, is the business I have had to 
dress up gear for you; and which I 
trust, ere long to cause you occupy: 
then I trust to occupy yours, which 
shall be recompense enough to me 
for all my pains and labour. 

The unfeigned sickness of this well- 
willing legate doth somewhat retard 
his access to your person; but I trust 
verily, when God shall send him 
health, he will with diligence recom- 
pense his demur. For I know well 
where he hath said (touching the say- 
ing and bruit that he is thought im- 
perial) that it shall be well known in 
this matter that he is not imperial; 
and thus, for lack of time, sweetheart, 
farewell. 

[ xm ] 



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■Lotie lettet0 of J^entp tJin 
to anne TBoIepn 

i8j> !♦ (B. t)aUitoeU |)|)intjjfi 

THE Letters of Henry VIII to 
Anne Boleyn, perhaps the most re- 
markable documents of the kind known 
to exist, were 4)ublished at Oxford in 
1720 by Hearne, in a volume entitled 
Roberti de Aveshury Historia de mirahi- 
libus gestis Edwardi III, and inserted in 
the third volume of the Harleian Mis- 
cellany, 1745. These two editions differ 
considerably from each other, and still 
more so from the transcripts here given, 
which are taken from the edition printed 
at Paris by M. Meon, who held a situ- 
ation in the Manuscript Department of 
the Bibliotheque de Roi. The fifth and 
thirteenth, however, which are not com- 
prehended in the Vatican colledtion, are 
supplied from H earners work. Of the 
seventeen letters of which the series con- 

m 



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sists, eight are written in English and 
nine in French. 

They appear to have been written 
after Anne Boleyn had been sent away 
from court, in consequence of reports 
injurious to her reputation, which had 
begun to be publicly circulated. Her 
removal indeed was so abrupt that she 
had resolved never to return. The king 
soon repented his harshness, and strove 
to persuade her to come back; but it 
was a long time, and not without great 
trouble, before he could induce her to 
comply. Her retirement did not take 
place before the month of May, 1528; 
this is proved by a letter from Fox, 
Bishop of Hereford, to Gardiner, Bishop 
of Winchester, dated the 4th of May, 
in that year, in which the writer, who 
had just returned from Rome, whither 
he had been sent to negotiate the king's 
divorce, gives an account of his landing 



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at Sandwich on the 2nd, of his arrival 
on the same night at Greenwich, where 
the king then was, and of the order he 
received from him to go to the apart- 
ments of Anne Boleyn, which were in 
the Tiltyard, and inform her how anx- 
ious he had been to hasten the arrival 
of the legate, and how much he was re- 
joiced by it. This letter, formerly in the 
colledlion of Harley, Earl of Oxford, is 
now at Rome. 

It must have been very soon after- 
wards that Anne Boleyn left the court. 
In fa6t, in the first letter (4 of this se- 
ries) the king excuses himself for being 
under the necessity of parting from her. 
In the second (6) he complains of the 
dislike which she shows to return to 
court; but in neither of them does he 
allude to the pestilential disease which 
in that year committed such ravages in 
England. In the third (10), however, he 



[ liii ] 



Bom 



does advert to it as a disorder which has 
prevailed for some time, and on which 
he makes some observations. 

Between this letter, probably written 
in the month of July, and the sixth (17), 
in which the king speaks of the arrival 
of the legate in Paris, and which must 
have been written about the end of Sep- 
tember, there are two letters (i and 5) 
certainly written within a few days of 
each other. In the second of these two, 
viz., the fifth of this series, the king ex- 
presses his extreme satisfaction which he 
has received from the lady's answer to 
his request. In the effusion of his grati- 
tude, he pays a visit to his mistress, and 
both address a letter (8) to Cardinal 
Wolsey, in which Henry manifests his 
astonishment at not having yet heard of 
the arrival of Campeggio, the legate, in 
Paris. The date of this letter may thus 
be fixed in the month of September. 



[uti] 



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The fourth (i), apparently written in 
August, is the most interesting of the 
whole colledion, inasmuch as it fixes the 
period of the commencement of the 
king s affedion for Anne Boleyn. He 
complains of "having been above a whole 
year struck with the dart of love," and 
that he is not yet certain whether he shall 
succeed in finding a place in the heart 
and affedions of her whom he loves. 

The last letter (i8), which makes 
mention of the illness of the legate as 
the cause of the delay in the affair of 
the divorce, shows that this correspon- 
dence ended in May, 1529, at which 
time the court of legates was open for 
the final decision of that point. 

Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn, 
subsequently created Earl of Wiltshire, 
after passing many years at the court of 
Claude, queen of Francis I of France, 
returned to England about the end of the 



[If] 



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year 1525, at the age of eighteen. Here 
she was soon appointed maid of honour 
to Queen Katherine, and attracted the 
particular attentions of Henry VI 1 1, who 
was then engaged in soHciting a divorce 
from the Pope. The marked preference 
shown by the king for Anne Boleyn 
raised so much jealousy and slander that 
it was thought advisable by her family to 
remove the new favourite from the court; 
and it was during this retirement at He- 
ver, a seat of her father^s in Kent, that 
these letters were addressed to her by her 
royal lover. It was no doubt to render 
them the more agreeable that he wrote 
some of them in French. They breathe a 
fondness and an ardour which could 
scarcely leave room to doubt the sincerity 
of his love. 

IF 

We have reprinted Mr. H alii well Phil- 
lips to call attention to the change in or- 



[Ifi] 



jQotes 



der in this edition. A very little study of 
the letters themselves showed that the 
old order was impossible. The first six 
fall into a group by themselves, the 
6th being the first to which we gave a 
nearly approximate date (July, 1527), 
before Anne's return to court. Henry's 
passion must date therefore from 1526. 
The 7th is fixed by references in other 
correspondence to February, 1528, and 
the 8th to June before she left the court. 
The 9th, loth and nth relate to the 
sweating sickness (end of June, order 
fixed by incidental references), and the 
1 2th is after July 5th; the 13 th and 14th 
are before her return. The reference to 
his book in No. 15 fixes the date as 
August, and No. 16 is fixed for August 
20th, by Wolsey's finding a lodging for 
Anne. No. 17 is fixed for September 
(i6th?) by Campeggio's arrival at Paris 
(September 14, 1528), and No. 18 by 



[ m ] 



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his illness as towards the end of Odo- 
ber. The scheme had been partly worked 
out when the editor observed that Mr. 
Brewer had already arranged them in his 
Calendar of State Papers, and to him 
therefore this order is due. 

The old arrangement was 4, 6, lo, i, 5, 
17, 16,2, 11,3, 13, 9, 12,7, 14, 15,18,8. 

Page X. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, 
Written July, 1527. "Aut illic, aut nul- 
libi." Either there, or nowhere. 

The signature means "H. seeks no 
other (heart). R." 

xiii. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, This 
letter was written in July, 1527. 

xvi. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, Writ- 
ten February, 1528. "Ultra posse non 
est esse." One can't do more than the 
possible. 

xviii. Anne Boleyn to Cardinal Wolsey, 
MS. Cott, Vitellius, B. xii. f. 4. Written 
June II, 1528. Printed by Ellis as from 



[ Itini ] 



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Katherine of Arragon. There is another 
letter from Anne to Wolsey, thanking 
him for a present. It is very similar to 
this, and is found in MS. Cott, Otho, c. 
X. f. 218 (printed in Burnet^ i, 104, and 
in Ellis ^ Original Letters, vol. i). 

xxii. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, Writ- 
ten June 165 1528. 

XXV. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, This 
letter was written June 20. "It." The 
sweating sickness. This is the 1528 epi- 
demic. 

" Your brother." George Boleyn, after- 
wards Viscount Rochford, executed 1 536 
on a charge of incest. 

xxviii. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. 
Written about June 22, 1528. "Welze" 
is the same person as " Welshe " on p. xxx. 

XXX. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, Writ- 
ten July 6 (?), 1528. "Suche" is prob- 
ably Zouch. 

"Destain." Stain. 



[lir] 



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xxxiv. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Writ- 
ten July 20, 1528. 

xxxvii. Henry VIII to AnneBoleyn, Writ- 
ten July 21, 1528. 

xxxix. Henry VIII to Anne B oleyn. Writ- 
ten August, 1528. "Elengeness." Lone- 
liness, misery. 

"My book." On the unlawfulness of 
his marriage with Katherine. 

xli. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Written 
August 20, 1528. 

xliii. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, Writ- 
ten September 16, 1528. Campeggio ac- 
tually arrived at Calais on Monday, Sep- 
tember 14. 

xlv. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn, Writ- 
ten at the end of Odober, 1528. 






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